Academy Journal, 2019 - 2020

The Academy Journal

LA alumni tell their stories

From the Head of School

The Creative Energy of Becoming

Editorial Team

John Bishop

Director of Communications

Joseph Sheppard College Counselor, retired

Angela Zimmer

Editorial Consultant

Editorial Council

Chris Davey

Assistant Head for Institutional Strategy and Advancement

Jo-AnnLovejoy

Director of Alumni Advancement

Geoff Harlan

Major Gifts Officer

Caitlin O’Brien

Director of Advancement

Communications and Operations

Hellie Swartwood

Director of Parent Advancement

Layout/Design/ Production

Dale Cunningham

Assistant Director of Communications

Photography

Jonathan Gotlib

Assistant Director of Communications

Eric Wang ’20

Jon Chase

Bob Perachio

I really got to know LA through LA. Sustaining the normal confusion between the city and the school here, the abbreviations can, in fact, be used interchangeably. In the one case, as is apt for a school introducing a person to a wider world, Lawrence Academy made it possible for me to travel and understand the creative culture that is Los Angeles — the unique assembly of humanity, culture, entertainment, and commerce that comprises this signature expression of a cityscape. In the other case, meeting the Lawrence Academy alums who live and work in Los Angeles — some of whom are profiled in this Academy Journal — helped me understand a bit more about what distinguishes our school: a spirit of imagination and application well-suited to a place (and here I refer to both Los Angeles and Lawrence Academy) that merges creative expression and industry.

I have been struck as I have traveled across the country and internationally just how much a relatively small collection of acres in Groton, Mass., can influence a person’s experience of a large and complex world. A school is many things at once: a particular community, a system of teaching and learning, a mode of society, a place for an individual to grow up. It is also a significant repository of creative energy — the energy of growing and doing and becoming, at Lawrence especially so. One thing that helps to define the particular nature of Lawrence Academy is the careful attention we give to the creative process: We acknowledge the power of making things, that work style creates meaningful habits of mind and heart, that carefully constructed experience can form the

deepest teaching and learning of all. In this way, I believe Lawrence Academy at its best provides a type of education, a type of training, that offers unique advantages as our graduates meet cultures and communities globally.

Lawrence Academy “inspires you to take responsibility for who you want to become.”

The creative process, of course, extends to and includes the self. This powerful creative energy of becoming — an energy that truly must be inspirational, breathing direction and meaning into life — lies at the heart of a great education. Moments of inspiration and powerful becoming happen in the creative cauldron of the arts, to be sure — whether on streets teeming with humanity in Edinburgh as LA meets the Fringe or poised before an easel in the quiet solitude of a studio beneath the Williams Gallery. But these moments are simply templates for all moments of self-realization and expression in a great school community: places and times where we feel the energy of becoming ourselves with a sense of meaning, authenticity, and purpose.

This Academy Journal draws attention to one particular place and its singular mode of life expression as it focuses on the exploits of LA alums in that other LA on the West Coast with its particular life and work style. We can use that template, however, to imagine and appreciate all of the different ways in which Lawrence Academy helps life take shape in so many different settings — and the way that education forms not just a preparation for life and work but a fundamental orientation and application of who we are and who we can be in the world.

Trustees of Lawrence Academy

Mr. Robert Achtmeyer ’97

Mr. Jay Ackerman ’85

Mr. Kevin Anderson ’85

Mr. Ronald Ansin, P ’87,’85,’83,’80; GP ’03,’05,’14, ’23

Mr. Timothy Armstrong ’89

Ms. Deborah Barnes, P ’13

Mr. J. Chris Bernene, P ’19

Ms. Barbara Brammer ’75

Ms. Karen Brandvold ’82, P ’16,’17

Mr. Randy Chamberlain ’79

Ms. Susanna Gallant, P ’20

Ms. Elizabeth Gross, P ’15,’16

Mr. Bradford Hobbs ’82

Mr. Samuel Liang, P ’18,’19

Mr. Douglas Long, P ’15,’18

Mr. Bruce MacNeil ’70, P ’04

Mr. Peter Myette, P ’00,’03

Ms. Pamela Nwaoko ’06

Ms. Phyllis Rothschild, Vice President, P ’20

Mr. Jason Saghir, President, P ’19

Mr. David Santeusanio

Mr. Gordon Sewall ’67, Secretary

Mr. David Stone ’76, Treasurer

Mr. Alex Sugar, P ’19

Mr. Richard Tyson ’87

Mr. Stephen Wilkins

Honorary Trustees

Mr. George A. Chamberlain III, P ’79,’81

Mr. Albert B. Gordon, Jr. ’59

Mr. Henry S. Russell, Jr., P ’70,’75

Mr. Albert Stone, P ’74,’76; GP ’15

Mr. Benjamin D. Williams III, P ’82,’84

2019 Alumni Council

Elizabeth Frissora ’95, President

Catherine Floyd McMenamin ’97, Vice President

Carolyn Balas-Zaleski ’84

Marianne Balfour ’88

Brendon Davis ’02

Brian Drolet ’00

Sara Gillis ’10

Victoria Hanna ’97

Christopher Hazzard ’03

Lindsay Howard ’00

Victor Howell ’08

Paul Husted ’64

Ann McGuire ’03

LA at a Glance

The Light Shines for All: LA’s Unity Circle

To recognize unity and togetherness on the Lawrence Academy campus, in November, senior Anya Brown ’20 led the charge in creating a Unity Circle for the entire community to participate in and enjoy. The Unity Circle, spearheaded by LA’s Moral Courage Task Force, was done at the end of the term, as a culminating activity within our Omnibus program. “Even if it just sparks a conversation, I want people to think about how, even though we’re all different, there’s something that brings us together,” Anya said.

L A W ACA D E M

LA Students at the People of Color Conference in Seattle

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Four Lawrence Academy students and three faculty members recently attended the National Association of Independent School's (NAIS) People of Color Conference and Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Seattle, Wash. According to Student Body President Kevin Weaver ’20, “This conference was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot about myself, my identity, and what makes me who I am.”

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2020 J. William Mees Visiting Scholar: Time Magazine Journalist Jamie Ducharme

Time Magazine reporter Jamie Ducharme visited classes and gave a public presentation about journalism in 2020. Ducharme, a journalist who has written extensively on health topics for Time, tweeted of her visit: “I’m in awe of these bright, engaged and funny students and now I want to go back to high school.”

LA Is Great: It’s Not Up for Debate

The Debate Club at Lawrence Academy participated in their first-ever Public Forum Debate Tournament at Newton South High School. LA's scholars debated the question: “Should the U.S. end its economic sanctions on Venezuela?” Despite limited time to prep, the club claimed two victories. Isabella Sepulveda ’21 explained, “Not only did we leave the tournament with two wins, but we also left practicing how to think on our feet, how to speak effectively and clearly, and how to ‘sell’ our argument using research and evidence.”

Taking Pride in LA’s Production of Pride & Prejudice

Lawrence Academy’s fall theatre production was a resounding success. LA’s Pride & Prejudice — and the budding thespians who portrayed Lizzy Bennet, Mr. Darcy, and company — wowed the community with a rendition of the work that Theatre Director Joel Sugerman described as “not your grandmother’s Pride & Prejudice.” Before the performances, Sugerman added, “Sadly, there are no zombies in this production.” Nevertheless, the audience remained transfixed. Bravo!

Spartan Highlights

FALL & WINTER ATHLETICS

Spartans Girls’ Soccer in the NEPSAC Class B Playoffs

Congratulations to the varsity girls’ soccer team on their November trip to the postseason and their 2-0 win in the NEPSAC quarterfinals. The Spartans pushed their season to the NEPSAC semifinal, but fell to Pingree. However, the lasting memory from the playoff run was that of a blue wave hitting the Saint Mark’s pitch after LA eliminated their long-time ISL opponents. “Just before kick-off, busloads of LA students took over the sideline directly across from us, and you could feel the emotion and support,” explained Head Coach Kim Healy. “We all had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to our school when the whistle blew.”

LA Boys’ Varsity Hockey

Congratulations to the Spartans boys’ varsity hockey team, who just won the E.G. Watkins/Cushing Academy New Year’s Invitational with a 5-4 win over Dexter. Extra kudos to LA Conor Lovett ‘20, who was named Tournament MVP, while Kyle Furey ‘21 and Holt Oliphant ‘20 were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Musyoka Runs Away With a NEPSAC Title

Congratulations to boys’ cross-country runner Enock Musyoka ‘21 of Kenya, who took the NEPSAC D-III title with a time of 15:34. Additional kudos to Chris Davis ‘20, who finished 13th with a time of 16:46, and Brandon Christ ‘22, who placed 19th with a time of 17:06. Overall, the team captured fourth place in NEPSAC D-III. Great job, Spartans!

LA Girls’ Ski Team are 2020 NEPSAC Class C Alpine Skiing Champions!

On Feb. 12, The LA ski team traveled to Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Maine, for the New England Alpine Skiing Championships. Leading the charge, Jackie Salvucci ’22 –a newcomer to the elm tree-shaded hillside this year –finished second in both Slalom and Grand Slalom, while teammates Avery Badger ’21 (team captain) placed seventh in Slalom and 10th in Grand Slalom and Olivia Todd ’21 finished eighth in both races. Also a contributor, Melanie Eggloff ’20 finished 14th in Slalom, out of 42 total competitors. The team is coached by Will Abisalih and Mia Ritter.

LA Girls’ Varsity Basketball

The Spartans rang in the new year with tournament wins! Before the holidays, girls’ varsity basketball won the Groton School Lawrence Academy 2019 Girls’ Basketball Holiday Tournament, clinching with a win against cross-town rival Groton School. Ashley Evans ’20 was named tourney MVP.

The Girls of LA Varsity Wrestling Finish Third at Andover Meet

Congratulations to the girls of the LA wrestling team who finished third (out of 39 schools) at the 7th Annual Phillips Academy Girls Wrestling Tournament. In their respective weight classes, Karoline Hartner ‘22 and Emily Moran ‘22 finished third. Meanwhile, Charlotte Lokere ‘23 and Raquel Berrocal de Castro ‘21 finished second. The girls are coached by Jonny Mangini ‘14.

Welcome to the 1000 Point Club, Jordan Richard ‘20!

The 1,000 Point Club has a new member! Congratulations to boys' varsity basketball guard Jordan Richard ‘20 for scoring his 1,000th during an early-season game against Governor’s. “I think the mark reflects a measure of consistency and productivity over the course of a career,” said Head Coach Kevin Wiercinski of Richard's feat.

#ArtsAtLA

LA Singers Glorify Vivaldi at Carnegie Hall

April 25, 2019 (Day One): And We’re Off!

The day we left was hectic! A lot of us were finishing projects and completing assignments, as midterms were right around the corner. But at 3:45 p.m., 30 members of the LA music community, accompanied by Director of Music Jenny Cooper, Director of Theatre Joel Sugerman, art teacher Dina Mordeno, and history teacher Eliza Foster, were ready to load onto the bus and head off to New York City.

Spirits were high, so we did what singers do best: We sang. We practiced “Hold Me, Rock Me” and “Imagine,” two songs that we would be singing the next day at Central Park. Ms. Cooper conducting in the middle of a moving bus and everyone having to move to the center to better hear each other was definitely a new experience!

At 6:30 p.m., we stopped at a food court in Connecticut for dinner. It was nice to stretch our legs, sit together, and eat.

The rest of the journey was relatively quiet. Most people did homework, played games, or talked to the person next to them. We got to the Grand Hyatt in New York around 9:30 p.m. It’s a beautiful hotel, with several statues scattered across the lobby, resting in a pile of crystals. Once we were in our rooms, Ms. Cooper came by to tell us the plan for the next day. Exhausted, we called it a night, excited for the coming days.

April 26, 2019 (Day Two): Singing and Sightseeing

First thing in the morning, we all headed to Zucker’s Bagels for a delicious breakfast on our first full day in New York.

Our very first stop was Carnegie Hall! We stood on the sidewalk, gazing up at the magnificent, Renaissance-style building with beautiful engravings on its façade. It was a moving experience to be standing in front of one of the most iconic concert venues in the world, knowing that we would be singing there in two days. We gathered around the poster for the Sunday performance and were delighted to see “Lawrence Academy Singers from Groton, Mass., directed by Ms. Jenny Cooper” listed under the featured performers.

Later, we walked through Central Park and made our way to Strawberry Fields, a living memorial to Beatles singer John Lennon. This peaceful and quiet spot is named after one of his favorite songs, “Strawberry Fields Forever.” It has a beautiful mosaic with the word “Imagine,” from another Lennon song, in the center. The skies were overcast, but the flowering shrubs surrounding the area and the stately elm trees with their low-hanging branches made it a very tranquil setting. Standing next to the mosaic, we sang “Imagine” with the utmost respect. I hope that it made an impression on the people who were walking by or stopped to listen.

From Central Park, we went to Lincoln Center, which is home to many performing arts organizations, like the New York Philharmonic, the New York City Ballet, and the New York City Opera. The fountain in the middle was the perfect spot for us to perform “Hold Me, Rock Me,” and we had a lot of fun singing with the Metropolitan Opera building behind us. The sweeping staircases of the Met also gave us some great photos.

Soon it was time for lunch. Ms. Cooper let us split up into small groups and meet back at the hotel. On our way back, most of us got caught in a sudden downpour and came in soaking wet.

“Strawberry Fields” John Lennon Memorial in Central Park NYC.

Sabrina Ladiwala ’20 recounts a memorable trip to New York

After we dried off, or attempted to, we raced to the hotel ballroom for our first rehearsal. Meeting the four other choirs that we would be singing with made me think how wonderful it was that we were coming together to make music even though we did not know each other. We would be performing the “Gloria” in D major by Antonio Vivaldi, a piece for chorus and orchestra in 12 movements.

We covered a lot of material with our first conductor, James Johnson. He worked with us on vowel shapes, balance among the four voice parts, looking up at the conductor more, and a lot of other specific points to help perfect our technique. Unfortunately, halfway through the rehearsal, he started feeling unwell and one of the invited choir directors volunteered to continue the rehearsal. After our break, we got a new conductor. He was really kind and gave us insight as to what to think about while singing various movements in the piece. He explained the importance of vocally emoting

the tone of the piece. The four-hour rehearsal was intense, but very rewarding in the lessons it taught us.

After rehearsal, we had dinner and then went for the Broadway show Chicago. It was good to spend time with friends and bond with each other. After a packed day, we were all tired and crashed as soon as we got back to the hotel.

Saturday, April 27, 2019 (Day Three): Practice, Practice, Practice!

After splitting up for breakfast, we were all back in the hotel by 9 a.m. to report to the ballroom for our second rehearsal. There we learned that Mr. Johnson ended up having surgery and was in the hospital recovering, but was hopeful to return for the performance.

In the meantime, we had a new director, and all agreed that she was amazing. She was kind, and her love of music came through in her conducting. She emphasized the importance of pulling through longer notes and driving the sound until the end of the phrase. Additionally, we continued to focus on balance and vowel shape from the previous day. At the end of the rehearsal, the event organizer told us that Mr. Johnson needed more time to recover and would not be

Statue of Liberty, taken during the celebratory harbor cruise after the students’ performance.

coming back after all. We were disappointed, but wished him well. This meant that our new director would be conducting us at Carnegie Hall the next day, and we were fortunate to be working with her.

After rehearsal, we once again split up into small groups for lunch. It was nice to have some downtime.

Once back at the hotel, we took off to the High Line for the afternoon. The High Line is an old freight railway on Manhattan’s West Side that has been converted into a public walkway with plantings of grasses and flowering shrubs. Since it is elevated, it affords scenic views of the city and the Hudson River.

The highlight of the evening was a private dinner with our head of school, Mr. Scheibe, and his wife, Ms. Montesano. The food was amazing, and it was relaxing to wind down with friends and a good meal. Plus, it was fun to sing “Hold Me, Rock Me” for them.

Sunday, April 28, 2019 (Day Four): Showtime!

Today was the day! This morning, we were having dress rehearsal on the actual Perelman Stage in the Stern Auditorium. We got up early, ate breakfast, changed, and loaded onto a bus to take us to the venue. As we stepped into Carnegie Hall for the first time, it finally felt real. It was as majestic on the inside as it was on the outside.

After a brief backstage talk, we were ready to begin. It’s hard to describe adequately what it feels like to walk onto the Carnegie Hall stage, a place where so many stars have sung before. There was an air of reverence as we took our places. I remembered the event organizer telling us that we would be adding our voices to this hall and to the list of many special musicians that came before us. It is an honor to become a part of that rich history.

This was our first rehearsal with the orchestra and the two soloists. The conductor took her place, and the rich sound of the orchestra filled my ears as we took our cues to sing. As voices from the five different choirs blended together, it was incredible to see how far we had come in the past two days. The rehearsal went well, and we could all see that the conductor was very pleased. Ms. Cooper’s words of praise and encouragement meant a lot to us.

After rehearsal, we joined our parents for brunch. It was wonderful to see our families and sing for them.

Soon, it was 12:45 p.m. and time to get back to the venue. Our show was at 2 p.m., with a prelude concert by another choir at 1 p.m., so we spent time in the dressing room backstage until it was our turn.

Very soon, we were lining up to make our way down the stairs to the stage. As we waited there, I thought about everything that had led up to this moment: being introduced to Vivaldi’s Gloria in my freshman year, the many rehearsals throughout this year, and everything that we had learned and worked toward in the past 48 hours. We were all grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Then it was time. We walked out; the lights hit our faces. The house filled with people somehow looked bigger than it did this morning, but the supportive cheer from the audience was very reassuring.

The 35-minute piece went by quickly. We filed offstage, relieved that the performance had gone off flawlessly. Emotions ran high, and we hugged each other happily. We sat in the audience to hear the rest of the concert. I closed my eyes and just listened. It was beautiful.

After the concert, a bus took us to the docks, where we boarded a cruise ship to celebrate. The cruise took us around the Statue of Liberty, which was a beautiful sight under the setting sun. The food was good, and after dinner, we had a dance party! It was nice to finally relax and reflect on all that we had accomplished together, not just in the past few days, but throughout the whole year.

Monday, April 29, 2019 (Day Five): Heading Home

We were up very early and departed at 7:30 in the morning. Although no one wanted to leave New York, we were eager to come home and share our experiences. Since Mr. Scheibe had called a Head’s Holiday, we were glad that we could all go home and sleep.

Aboard the harbor cruise – L-R: Victoria Lucontoni ‘22, Stephen LaSala ’21, and Sabrina Ladwala ’20.

Welcome to LA

Brett Benzio joins the math department from New Hampton School, where she taught math and served as head women’s basketball coach. Brett has a B.S. from Tulane University and an MBA from Lynn University.

Another new member of the math department is Logan Gillis ’09. A Bentley University graduate, Logan lives on campus with his wife, Director of Enrollment Management Sara Davey Gillis ’10.

Christine Coffin, formerly director of peer tutoring, peer mentoring, and placement testing at Fitchburg State University, comes to LA as a member of the learning support faculty. Christine has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from UMass Boston.

Joining the science department full-time is Bo Murphy, who was a part time biology teacher and learning coach at LA last year. She has a B.S. in science from St. Lawrence University and a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Bo has three boys who graduated from LA: William ’17, David ’16, and Tanner ‘14. We welcome Bo in her new capacity.

Also working in learning support is Peter Hess, most recently the assistant head of school and dean of studies at Brewster Academy. Peter has a B.S. in geoscience from Hobart College and an M.Ed. in special education from the University of Minnesota.

Christine Torigian, who will be serving as a learning coach as well as teaching, worked most recently as the director of secondary school placement at the Carroll School in Lincoln, Mass. She has a B.A. from UMass Boston, with a double major in economics and political science, and an M.Ed. from Lesley University.

David Strasburger comes to LA from Concord Academy, where he taught physics. With a B.A. in physics and government from Oberlin College, David has also taught at Buckingham, Browne, and Nichols, and served as science department head and dean of new faculty at Noble and Greenough.

Danielle Doherty ’10 will work in learning support as well. With an M.Ed. from Boston College’s Lynch Graduate School of Education, Danielle has several years’ experience as a women’s ice hockey coach, including serving as head coach of the Walpole Express Ice Hockey women’s junior team.

Nicole Derosier, a graduate of Union College with a B.S. in biochemistry and a minor in Spanish, joins the faculty as a teaching intern. She has held various intern positions at the Union College After School Program, served as head camp counselor at the Rectory School Day Camp, and interned at the National Accelerator Lab at Stanford University.

Most recently a veteran language arts teacher at Salem, N.H. High School, Tony Karibian will be teaching in the English department. A graduate of Notre Dame College in Manchester, N.H., with a degree in English, he earned an M.Ed. from New England College in Henniker, N.H.

Jo-Ann Lovejoy, joins Lawrence Academy to serve as the director of alumni advancement. Working with Chris Davey, she will lead the advancement of alumni engagement, communications, and support of the school. With her early corporate work experience at Xerox and the Bank of Boston, coupled with development roles at BB&N and Middlesex School, Jo-Ann brings a passion for education and getting things done. As the parent of LA graduates George Lovejoy ’06, Spencer Lovejoy ’08, and Jordan Lovejoy ’10, Jo-Ann also served as a parent Annual Fund volunteer and a member of two Senior Parent Gift committees.

Whether they live on or off campus, all faculty participate in the residential life program, either as dorm parents or affiliates. All serve as advisors as well, and most have coaching or extracurricular responsibilities.

Chris Davey has joined the faculty in the new position of assistant head for institutional strategy and advancement. Chris graduated from Amherst College in 1987 with a degree in political science (where he also played varsity ice hockey for four years), He had a 30-plus year career in the software, technology consulting, and digital marketing industries prior to coming to LA. He was a founding member of Sapient Corporation (now part of Publicis Groupe), where he worked from 1993 to 2019, most recently serving as their chief strategist and global head of partnerships. Chris currently serves on the boards/advisory boards of several companies, including Google, Adobe, Hypergiant, Nextuple, Prevent Biometrics, and TPCR, and he served on the LA Board of Trustees from 2014 to 2019. At LA, Chris will oversee admissions, marketing, communications, and development. He will also be involved in positioning the LA educational program externally so that the school is seen as an innovator and leader in the high school educational market. Chris is the father of Director of Enrollment Management Sara Davey Gillis ’10 and Margaret Davey ’16, and the father-in-law of Logan Gillis ’09.

Honoring Bruce MacNeil’s Stewardship

It is an honor and truly humbling to follow in the footsteps of Bruce MacNeil as board president. Bruce has served LA on the Board of Trustees for 35 years, and he led the school through significant changes over the past seven years as president. Bruce worked closely with Head of School Dan Scheibe, fellow trustees, and the school’s faculty and administration to define a campus master plan and strategic plan, and made significant progress toward achieving milestones on those plans. Bruce balanced a vision of improving LA’s execution of its mission while maintaining the foundation that makes LA unique. I hope we achieve the same balance during my tenure.

– Jason Saghir, Lawrence Academy board president

Front Row, L-R: Linda MacNeil, Elizabeth MacNeil Woodcock, Oliver and Willa Woodcock; Back Row, L-R: Bruce MacNeil ’70, Heather MacNeil Cox, and George Cox.

L-R: Linda MacNeil P’04, Judy Gordon, Jamie Baker, Andrea Meyette P’00 ’03, Pam Stone, Annie Montesano P’23, Barbara Brammer ’75, Ruth White ’76, Char Floyd P’95 ’97 ’01, and Cathy Frissora P’95 ’96.

L-R: former faculty Richmond Baker and Edi Baker.

An interview with new LA Board President Jason Saghir, P ’19

Tell us about yourself: What’s your background? What brought you to LA?

I attended an independent school growing up in St. Louis, Mo., where I gained a first-hand appreciation for the development and mentoring such a school can provide. I have lived in the Boston area for over 25 years, and my career has been in business, helping many different companies to grow. My two children attended independent schools since grade school, and Lawrence Academy was home to my son Matt, who graduated this past May. Matt was voted by the Class of 2019 as “the most changed since freshman year.” That yearbook superlative sums up my family’s love for LA. The school fosters an environment where each student may develop their gifts to their greatest potential. Moreover, my family felt embraced by LA since we first attended an open house, and I quickly became interested in supporting the school’s mission.

What about LA drives you? What makes the school special? What do you hope to accomplish as board president?

LA is unique because it sets a high bar for every student to achieve excellence in all areas – from academics to athletics to the arts and more. However, at the same time, LA meets each student where they are and tailors the learning experience to an individual student’s needs. As board president, my first major goal is to maintain and enhance LA’s mission “to recognize you for who you are and inspire you to take responsibility for who you want to become.” Among the essential objectives supporting this goal is to enhance our faculty’s development and success, and to ensure the school has the resources it needs. My second goal is to improve the financial strength of LA. I want to ensure the school can make the necessary investments to create an exceptional experience for our students for the next 100 years. Finally, my third goal is to deepen the partnership between the Board and the school’s administration and faculty, and, in so doing, promote a relationship among the Board of Trustees and school that includes open communication, creative problem solving, and collaboration.

What are you most looking forward to as you begin your tenure? What is your favorite thing to see and do at LA? Do you have a favorite spot on campus?

I enjoy the collaboration among the many people who are committed to enabling LA’s success. We are a large team, a community that must work together as an exceptional unit. Our faculty is the foundation, supported by the school’s administration, with critical contributions from the building and grounds team, learning support, dining services, and, finally, the Board of Trustees. The Board must ensure that all of these essential groups maintain the resources and autonomy they require. Then, all of us may work together seamlessly to deliver on LA’s mission to every student every day. I offer my sincere thanks to everyone who remains dedicated to making the Lawrence Academy experience as valuable for every student as it was for my son Matt.

Founders’

In November 2018, in a ceremony presided over by Head of School Dan Scheibe and Associate Head of School Rob Moore, the Cum Laude Society bestowed the Greater Good Award on Kambar Mangibayev ’19, Adrian Castanon Galicia ’19, Faris Khimani ’19, Haotian Lian ’20, and Muhammad Siregar ’19 for humanitarian projects in Mexico and Indonesia. Jamie Comeau ’19 presented the Kathy Peabody Memorial Book Award to the Business Office’s Pat Stark, and the Founders’ Day Award for Service to Lawrence Academy was given to Susan Meenan Barron ’86.

Day

Each year, LA celebrates Founders’ Day. More than a birthday or anniversary celebration for the school, Founders’ Day focuses on community, the school’s motto Omnibus Lucet, and those who allow LA’s “light to shine for all.”

In November 2019, with the familiar faces of former faculty Jerry Wooding and Michael Veit and former Head of School Ben Williams in attendance in the RMPAC, the Cum Laude Society presented the Founders’ Day Award for Service to Lawrence Academy to the Dunn Family: Ray and Kelly, Jay ’83, Marty ’85, Peter ’86, and Margaret ’90. The Cum Laude Society’s Jess Fatzinger ’20 presented the Kathy Peabody Memorial Book Award to the Library’s Carine Aurelio. The science department’s Tony Hawgood was named Departmental Chair for Excellence in Teaching, and LA recognized the history department’s John Curran for his 50 years as a faculty member. Meanwhile, Roisin Casey ’20 and Kayli Grise ’20 earned the Greater Good Award for their work with Rise Against Hunger.

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Cum Laude Day

On April 24, 2019, the Cum Laude Day assembly recognized the hard work of current students and alumni. Members of the LA student body received prizes for their work in the classroom, in the studio, on the athletic playing surfaces, and in the community at large. New members were also inducted into the Cum Laude Society. Meanwhile, the Greater Good Award, established in 2005 and given each fall to a student and each spring to a graduate, was presented to Rob Kaplan ’97.

Cum Laude Inductees

Class of 2020

Roisin Casey

Lori Donohoe

Jessica Fatzinger

Kayli Grise

Marie Keeling

Claire Lanzendorf

Rahul Ulman

Miela Zahavi

Class of 2019

Callie Bauer

Mark Bedetti

Leah Davis

Jordan Kjoniksen

Ben Lichtman

Anh Nguyen

Dafi Siregar

Connor Sweeney

Maksim Tochilkin

Grace Webster

Chuyi (Katherine) Xu

Xiaojing (Ellen) Zhou

Rob Kaplan ’97 Honored With Greater Good Award

As founder and CEO of Circulate Capital, an investment management firm dedicated to preventing the flow of plastic waste into the world’s oceans, Rob Kaplan ’97 has committed his career to making the case for business-based solutions to environmental problems, deploying millions of dollars toward those efforts in partnership with the world’s largest corporations. Prior to Circulate Capital, Rob co-founded and was the managing director of Closed Loop Partners, and served as director of sustainability for Walmart Stores, where he led teams to eliminate more than 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas from the supply chain. Rob received an MBA from UC Berkeley and a B.A. in political communication from The George Washington University. Rob credits Lawrence Academy with teaching him that the quality of an idea doesn’t matter unless you can communicate it and take action.

Cum Laude Prize Recipients

The Freshman Book Prize for English, Lilly Brock ’22

The Class of 1957 Award, Kevin Weaver ’20

The Brown Book Award, Kevin Weaver ’20

The Mansfield Branigan Memorial Prize, Julia Stern ’20

The Harry and Ann Davidson Prize, Sabrina Ladiwala ’20

The Dartmouth College Book Award, Sophia Lando ’20

The Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Medal, Rahul Ulman ’20

The Rensselaer Methematics and Science Award, Henry Trainor ’20

The Eleanor and Cameron Smith Poetry Prize, Kelli Gifford ’19

The Holmes Prize, Nicolette Arnold ’19

The Language Prize for Spanish, Matt Noel ’19

The Language Prize for Latin, Max Meier ’19

The Language Prize for French, Nicole Winthrop ’19

The Language Prize for Chinese, Kelli Gifford ’19

The Thompson English Prize, Katie Jacobs ’19

The Class of 1965 Prize for Art, Kelli Gifford, Hannah Song ’19

The Class of 1965 Prize for Music, Justin Chen ’19

The Class of 1965 Prize for Theatre, Shriya Balaji, Denby Fortune ’19

The Class of 1965 Prize for Dance, Fairlight Chemelli, Ellen Zhou ’19

The Peter S. Yozell ’41 History and Social Sciences Award, Matt Noel, Alena Tochilkin ’19

The May Sarton Poetry Prize, Maggie Eames ’19

The Tower Mathematics Prize, Maksim Tochilkina ’19

The Francis A. Head Award for Excellence in Journalism, Justin Chen, Mike Templeton ’19

The Anne and David Rosenthal Prize for Literacy Appreciation, Maggie Eames ’19

2019 Commencement

Graduates encouraged to “spread as much light as you can”

Sunny skies greeted Head of School Dan Scheibe as he moved from the Schoolhouse to the Quad and stepped to the microphone to preside over Graduation 2019. No doubt feeling the crescendo of joy that filled the morning, and with 109 smiling senior faces staring back at him, Mr. Scheibe took a moment to take it in and revel in the wonder of the Class of 2019’s collective accomplishments.

“We have this sense of exaltation, but we have this sense of vulnerability too … There’s nothing wrong with us,” Mr. Scheibe continued. “The fact today, and any day, is that life can be complex. It has beauty and it has its burdens, but somewhere in life’s extremity, there is this transcendent, disruptive, transformative mystery.”

In the “now” was where speaker Kate Williams (of the organization 1% for the Planet) placed her keynote remarks. “I hope this one point, this one gift of perspective that I can offer you, can penetrate and stick: Our world needs you, and you have power to change the world,” she said.

“At Lawrence Academy, you’ve not only learned in the classroom, but you’ve also learned by doing,” she noted.

“You consider the real issues facing the world. You rolled up your sleeves, and you’ve gotten to work … So as you leave here today with your diplomas in hand, I invite you to act. I invite you to keep an eye out and an ear to the ground. And I invite you to own your stake in a healthy and dynamic planet.”

From the now to nostalgia, senior speaker Will Adam painted a picture of life at Lawrence Academy, and admonished the Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 to look up from their books.

“This is by no means me supporting an indolent, carefree, lackadaisical mindset for you. But it is me encouraging you to focus on making memories; because you won’t remember that homework you took hours to complete or that test you studied a week for or that bad grade you got at midterm, but you will remember the good times you had with friends,” he said, also reminding students to choose those friends wisely: “They are by far the biggest influence on who you are in high school, but also who you can become … so make sure you are surrounded by those who will make you your best self.”

Fellow senior Nicole Winthrop added to Will’s painted picture, speaking to the building blocks the Class of 2019 had garnered along the way at LA, and not necessarily all from inside a classroom. “They can be ideas, mannerisms, friends, or just straight-up joy,” she reflected, but they’re all important, even if “I’m not exactly sure what I’m building with these Lego-type blocks.”

Mr. Scheibe left the graduates with some final words of instruction as they sent their caps flying to complete the ceremony: “Class of 2019, make of yourself a light. Absorb as much light as you can, spread as much light as you can. The world needs your radiance. Get after it.”

Student Speakers

“Our world needs you, and you have power to change the world.”

– Kate Williams

Will Adam ’19

Nicole Winthrop ’19

Kate Williams

2019 Graduation Awards

The Faculty Award Jennifer Dick ’19

The Benjamin Davis Williams Prize Nicole Winthrop ’19

The Ferguson Prize for Leadership Nicolette Arnold ’19

The Treisman Prize for Superior Scholastic Achievement Kelli Gifford ’19

The Pillsbury Prize for General Improvement in Scholarship and School Duties During the Course Brian Underhill ’19

The Pillsbury Prize for Character and Conduct Shriya Balaji ’19

The Adrian Chen ’92 Award Maksim Tolchilkin ’19

The Tom Park ’29 Memorial Award Connor Sweeney ’19

The David Thomas Kinsley Prize for Public Speaking Mark Bedetti ’19

The Whitehurst Prize Alexander Scliris ’19

The Norman and Catherine Grant Award Vittoria Colautti ’19

The Raymond A. Ilg, Jr. Award Connor Sweeney ’19

The Richmond Baker Prize Jamie Comeau ’19 and Erika Lizotte ’19

The Proctor Award Abigail Kroll ’19 and Kambar Mangibayev ’19

The Melvin W. Mann Award Jolexis DeJesus ’19

The Howard W. Glaser ’55 Award Michael Templeton ’19

The Mary Elizabeth Chickering Prize Emily Leung ’19

The James E. Baker Prize Alexander Scliris ’19

The David Soren Yeutter Memorial Award

Zachary Clark ’19

The Harvard Book Prize Roisin Casey ’20

The Carl A. P. Lawrence Award Kevin Weaver ’20

The Thomas B. Warner Memorial Prize Ciarra Coston ’20 and Christopher Davis ’20

The Margaret Price White Award Tessa Griffith ’21

In his opening monologue to the film L.A. Confidential, the legendary Danny DeVito, playing a nefarious 1950s tabloid journalist, opined: “Come to Los Angeles! The sun shines bright, the beaches are wide and inviting, and the orange groves stretch as far as the eye can see. There are jobs aplenty … and who knows, you could even be discovered, become a movie star, or at least see one. Life is good in Los Angeles. It’s paradise on Earth. That’s what they tell you, anyway.”

Now, in 2020, we all know that there is more to life in Los Angeles than walking Hollywood Boulevard looking for celebrities. And while the beaches are beautiful and the weather is warm, saying LA is paradise is like saying Mr. Curran’s “hassle” papers are easy. No, the entertainment industry is a tough business, and jobs are

anything but aplenty. However, based on their LA training — make that their Lawrence Academy training — several generations of Spartans have found their way out west.

Today, throughout the entertainment industry, corporate rosters and film credits are dotted with those who began their Hollywood dreams in Groton, Mass. In these next few pages, we seek to shine a spotlight on a few of the Lawrence Academy graduates thriving in Los Angeles. Their stories are told from the vantage point of interviews conducted in Spring 2019. And yes, we’re bragging. Yes, we’re saying we knew them before they went to Hollywood. But far be it from us to keep these Spartans’ success “off the record, on the QT, and very Hush Hush.”

– by John Bishop

by John Bishop

He graduated from Lawrence Academy nearly 50 years ago; earned a degree at the University of Redlands and attended Boston University and Temple University; and spent 40 years in the music and entertainment industry. When Richard Ellis ’70 speaks, there’s a lot of experience behind his words.

When we caught up with Richard at The Larder in Brentwood — a trendy bistro in an upscale neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles — the semi-retired entrepreneur and executive preached tenacity as students look toward the future, college, and careers. “Get passionate about something and do it,” he said. “Don’t let anything stand in your way. Everybody will say, ‘No!’ You’ve just got to pick yourself up and keep going.”

Richard, now based in Encino, delivers advice earned through a lifetime of work on behalf of artists and companies from around the globe, including RCA Records, Warner Music Group, Time, and Sony Music Entertainment. A native of Philadelphia and Galveston, Texas, who tried his hand at wrestling and debating at LA, Richard used an “ability to forecast trends and fuse marketing and innovation to connect entertainment and brands with young consumers” to forge a successful career in helping artists achieve their dreams.

But, perhaps more importantly, he employed a tireless work ethic. For Richard, currently head of Richard J. Ellis Associates and 12to20, and also the founder of myKaZootv, getting traction in entertainment marketing commences from the word “go” — what he calls “the launch” — which begins with messaging. “I’ve helped organizations large and small. I’ve helped web businesses launch. I’ve helped artists to launch,” he explained.

“To me, it all comes back to, ‘Who is this artist? Who is the organization? What are the bullet points that makes it make it great?’ And then, where do you find your audience and how do you deliver that message?”

It sounds simple, but it’s hard to keep that up over many decades, which is exactly what Richard has done for companies, causes, and artists as diverse as Taylor Swift, Disney, Dodge, Cosmopolitan, The Jonas Brothers, Avril Lavigne, MADD, SADD, and Rock the Vote. Meanwhile, “semi-retired” seems a less-than-fitting moniker for the LA-loving, LA-based alum (“The weather makes everybody happier…”) now producing television and films, and advising tech start-ups.

Now in his mid-60s, but taking a moment to film a selfie-style video aimed at current Lawrence students from the ASCAP Music “I Create Music” Expo in Hollywood, Richard said, “I’m having a ball,” but added, “I certainly didn’t know I was going to end up in the music business when I was there, but now, 40 years later — I had a pretty good career. I wish you all the best of luck, and you should take your shot. You just never know what’s going to happen.”

Get passionate about something and do it.

As you walk into Michael Rweyemamu ’88’s office, just outside of Los Angeles, on the famous Warner Bros. lot — and after your eyes adjust to the brightness of the corner office promontory over Burbank and the Hollywood Hills — your attention quickly turns to the dark-hued poster of Batman overlooking a city. The contrast is striking, perhaps stressing the dichotomy of working for a world-class entertainment company and overseeing some of the hardest tasks associated with that entity. But for Michael, who is Warner Bros.’ senior vice president of North American sales and commercial operations, that juxtaposition is part of the job of “telling the story.”

“Sales is nothing but storytelling,” he said. “You have to structure what you’re telling clients around the story and emphasize the points that are important to them. I try to make sure my personal tastes don’t interfere with a craft that our directors have put out into the world. I could enjoy a film, absorb it from my point of view, but that’s just that: my point of view.

“Here’s a good story that I like to tell,” Michael continued. “I saw Christopher Nolan’s seminal Batman film The Dark Knight when it first came out and thought, ‘it’s really good. It’s a really good movie.’ But that’s just my own opinion. Then it goes and sets records for a comic book movie before Marvel came along.”

As he explained the difference between having an opinion and thinking about the bigger picture, Michael mentioned WB’s many horror films and characters. “I don’t watch horror movies … We have great horror franchises that we push out. And I’ve never seen any one of them,” Michael admitted. “So, I’m honest with clients: I say, ‘I just don’t watch them. I just can’t, but I still need you to buy it.’”

That’s where Michael’s team takes over. “If you buy movies through Apple, my teams make sure that whatever title is released through our pipeline — say it’s Aquaman — is available to you where you want to consume it. We do that on a global basis.”

Far from a traditional high school horror story, Michael has fond memories of his time in Groton, noting that the people he encountered at Lawrence Academy made his transition from the nearby Fay School in Southborough easier. “It was a really welcoming community where I felt embraced right away,” he said. “You don’t know quite how it's going to play out until you show up there.”

And Michael did more than show up: He competed. He studied. And he found mentors. “I loved Gags [Dick Gagné]. He just ‘got’ me,” Michael gushed. “He pushed me … but he was really subtle about how he did it, and he would kind of push you in the right way.”

But, Michael explained, Gagné’s shove in the right direction was appreciated then, and now. “He will always be meaningful to me in my life, and I’m always going to be grateful for having him in my life just because I’m not where I am without his voice in my ear,” he reflected.

In turn, Michael has sought to be a voice in the ear of current students and young alumni. “Risk is something that you’re always going to encounter in your life,” Michael said, speaking about the many risks he encountered, from his time as a boy in Tanzania, through his time at LA, and now in LA. “And it’s an important element of your own personal growth and also professional growth. It’s really the only way you can move forward in order to make the big leaps that you have to have in your life and career. It something where you need to make sure the opportunity is there. But take the jump.”

Sales is nothing but storytelling. You have to structure what you’re telling clients around the story and emphasize the points that are important to them.”

Watch!

Amanda Champagne Meadows ’01

There’s a bit of an alter ego vibe when you encounter Amanda Champagne Meadows ’01, West Coast editor at AMI (US Weekly), away from her professional life.

When she joined fellow alumni at the 2018 LA Circle Event in Hollywood, Calif., she looked like a stylish but demure college professor when she walked into the quiet space at Medeira Kitchen wearing a wide-brimmed black hat. But most days, the self-described “seasoned TV host, live event MC, producer, writer, and reporter” exists out in front and in and around Hollywood, where she models the latest styles on the awards circuit, at a festival, and on the beach.

On location, she might be “jamming harmonicas with Chevy Chase or surfing with big wave rider Ian Walsh;” however, it’s all part of the gig for Amanda, a bona fide social media influencer, whose Instagram bio notes, “Venice beach bum by day, celebrity journalist by night.” Scrolling down her 'gram, a vintage VW van settled between palm trees appears in nearly as many photos as the events she covers.

A savvy journalist with a degree from USC’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, Amanda is fully able to adjust to whatever environment she’s covering.

Whether at the X-Games, the Academy Awards, or a space shuttle launch, she is ready to report, thanks in large part to her time at Lawrence Academy. “Literally,” she emphasized when the Academy Journal tracked her down in Santa Monica, sitting down with fellow alumni Kristin Achtmeyer ’02 and Adèle Borden ’08 at Misfit.

“When I look back at my time at Lawrence, I can’t fully explain the experience; it would take so long to put into words just how much my time there impacted me and my decisions,” Amanda admitted. “I’ve been studying entertainment, working entertainment ever since LA. My first internship was during Winterim of my senior year at a production company in Boston.”

Amanda, who won the Head’s Award in 2001, still revels in that senior year experience, as well as an earlier sophomore year trip to Florida. During that journey, she “somehow” found herself in the Boston Red Sox press box. “It was the same day that they announced that Joe Torre from the New York Yankees had cancer, which was very sad,” Amanda explained. “However, I got to be a part of a moment where huge news was breaking, feeling the adrenaline and excitement of knowing something that’s breaking information.

“So that was the first time I got a taste of ‘celebrity news’ or entertainment news,” she continued. “Also on that Winterim, I got to meet the publicist for the Red Sox, and, at the time, I didn’t know what a publicist was.”

These days, Amanda is very familiar with publicists, as she sets up interviews and RSVPs to essential events. But recently, she herself was interviewed and took over the role of LA PR rep when she spoke about her alma mater: “I went to Lawrence Academy in Groton, Mass. It’s an amazing school where they really encourage you to ‘find your voice.’ It's there that I realized I had a deep love for media,” she told Sincerely, Sydney. “The school allowed me to create my own curriculum senior year, where I focused solely on video and film production, theater, and creative writing.”

Watch!

And the rest is red carpets, press junkets, and photoshoots.

“I really can’t complain,” said Amanda, with a Hollywood smile.

I’ve been studying entertainment, working entertainment ever since LA. My first internship was during Winterim of my senior year at a production company

Breaking News!

Castle Rock is a television series that debuted on Hulu on Oct. 23, and it has been quite the experience to work on. Everything and everyone from Stephen King’s novels comes to life in this town of Castle Rock, Maine. We used Orange, Mass. as our exterior town and Devens’ New England Studios as the interior sets to recreate this fantasy town. We shot all over the Devens area, which was fun and brought back many high school memories of where my friends lived: Stow, Acton, Clinton. We also ended our show filming in my hometown of Concord, which was surreal to say the least. Never did I think I would be working on a project in my hometown at my old library! Our story this season follows one of the main characters in King’s novels, Annie Wilkes, played by Lizzy Caplan. It was a dream to work with this cast. Tim Robbins also plays a major role, along with Paul Sparks, and they were a fantastic cast to take care of. For the past six months, I’ve been covered in fake dirt and blood, but that is the world of Stephen King, and it was exciting to be a part of it.

Perhaps the most intense one-on-one interview I did in Los Angeles was with Kristin Achtmeyer ‘02, who met me straight from set in a library-themed pub, The Misfit, in Santa Monica. The award-winning costumer, still wired from a long day of shooting, answered the question, “How does one get from LA to LA?" with a very straightforward response: “You’ve just got to do it.”

“Honestly, I told myself when I finished Dickinson College, ‘If I’m not going to go out to Los Angeles this summer, I'll probably never make it.’ So, I just headed west and jumped right in,” Kristin said. “It was a slow start, but I got in the groove, eventually.”

Kristin’s patience paid off. Her IMDb (Internet Movie Database) page goes on forever, but recent entries include Pretty Little Liars, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and The Hunger Games (Mockingjay, Parts 1 and 2). By the way, there’s an Emmy Award on her shelf, for her work on American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace.

And while her list of credits and accolades goes on and on, so does the daily sheet for a top Hollywood costumer. “A typical day is, probably, 5:00 a.m. on set and then shoot,” Kristin explained. “We normally shoot 12to 14-hour days, and then you go home and sleep and then do it all again the next day. People laugh because we work 6-8 hours before we have lunch. Then we work another eight hours after that — all for about five minutes of camera time,” she added, chuckling again.

However, as intense as Kristin is in her description of her work, it’s clear that working on sets remains fulfilling to her. Asked what personal trait is most helpful in keeping continuity in costumes, she answered without hesitation: “My photographic memory.”

“I love making sure it’s always the same,” Kristin admitted. “They have to have continuity … but maintaining that is challenging. On Hunger Games, we’d be

shooting one scene — maybe be two minutes in the film — for a whole 12 hours. So, mainly, I am on set with all the actors and get them dressed in the morning, and then I stay with them to make sure everything stays the same.”

The clothes may stay the same, but in Hollywood, the setting — and the location — is continually changing. However, Kristin confirmed, she’s sought work around the country. And when we spoke last spring, she was excited to hear back on a local project.

“I try to go back for work in Boston,” she said of her occasional homecomings. “There are a lot of shows there now. I’m actually hoping to get on a show soon.”

Kristin’s wish was granted: Shortly after our interview, she began work in Boston on the Stephen King show Castle Rock. (see insert)

“In this business, you just have to go for it,” Kristin reiterated. Her advice to fellow Spartans interested in the industry is to “start imagining what the world looks like in what you’re reading and creating those images in sketches, and thinking outside the box of what that looks like. That’s what I do every day, and it’s fun!”

I told myself, ‘If I’m not going to go out to Los Angeles this summer, I’ll probably never make it.’ So, I just headed west and jumped right in.”

Watch!

Chris Hazzard ’03

“When I was at Lawrence, I was probably the only student in the musical who'd seen the previous 10 years of musicals,” said Hollywood screenwriter Chris Hazzard ’03 when we met in his home in Studio City. “My dad did the show as well. So, I went to all of those.”

“Dad,” of course, is Peter Hazzard, long-time Lawrence Academy music teacher extraordinaire, now retired. However, far from being overshadowed by a legendary educator — a sincere worry for faculty children at some schools — thinking back over those years on the elm tree-shaded hillside, the younger Mr. Hazzard thinks it was a pretty great way to grow up.

“I always thought that high school kids were cool and knew about lots of stuff, and I was impressed with ‘The Work,’” he said, adding, “Everybody had full backpacks and big books and were talking about things I didn't know about; in fact, it seemed like the goal was to be a smart high school student, playing sports and being in the plays and all that stuff.”

After matriculating at LA, Chris embraced “all that stuff” and then hit the real world with skills that he still employs every day. “A work ethic and the ability to handle a large workload, no question, are helpful,” he explained when asked what he brought with him from LA to New York University and the University of Southern California. “I had friends who had a hard time adjusting to how much work college was, and I think that LA was a great setup for that.”

Chris confided that his homework at Lawrence was a perfect introduction to long-haul Hollywood projects: “In ninth grade specifically, some of the nights of homework were the most I probably did in all of my educational career,” he stated with a smile and a shake of the head. “Whereas, for a lot of people, college was this new level, especially on projects that you had to really

think about, or come up with an idea for and then build your project or your paper around that.

“I think those skill sets are directly relatable to a career in the film industry and specifically writing, for sure,” he noted. “Lawrence, in my mind, was very much about ‘The Work,’ you know? I think that to do well at LA, you just had to do ‘The Work.’ ‘The Work’ was celebrated, whether that was the poetry competition, the play, or athletics.”

“The Work,” for Chris, included SABA (“Students Against Boring Assemblies”), where a captive audience at Friday assemblies couldn’t ignore him and his friends as they took the stage. “We did that for all four years,” said Chris, who joined classmate Jared Mezzocchi ’03 to follow in the footsteps of alumni including Myles Kane ’97, Michelle McAteer ’99, and Conor Maguire ’01.

“It's probably generous to say that we wrote every sketch that we did in SABA, but we did a lot of thinking about whatever the big issue was at the time. We did sketches that people really liked, and we did some the people liked less,” he added. “That was, at the time, not exciting, but it was good to see that something can work and the next thing you do might not work.” So, as a creative playground for Chris’ vocational playground, LA worked well.

“Take advantage of LA as a place to really explore,” he advised. “You can try lots of things … and use the community to get better at them. It’s an opportunity you seldom get elsewhere.”

Lawrence, in my mind, was very much about ‘The Work,’ you know? I think that to do well at LA, you just had to do ‘The Work.’”

Watch!

After a stint in acquisitions at Fox Searchlight, Adèle Borden ‘08 has started a new job as a narrative assistant in the film department at Participant. “They’re the production company behind Roma, Greenbook, Spotlight, and more,” she explained. “Generally speaking, they produce indie-spirited movies with a social cause in the middle.”

In her role, she assists in the development, production, and post-production of feature films on the Participant slate. Next to come out is Todd Haynes’ film Dark Waters, starring Mark Rufallo and Anna Hathaway.

Adèle, who got her BA at Wesleyan University and MFA at University of Southern California, has already found roles and experience at Amazon Studios, the Creative Artists Agency, the Sundance Institute, Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B, and John Wells Productions. Adèle has produced a handful of shorts and music videos with Wesleyan and USC alums and, somewhere in the middle of all that, did yoga training to teach on both land and stand-up paddleboard.

“When I was at Wesleyan, I started getting involved in short film productions, and made a lot of friends who were working in film,” Adèle explained. “When I graduated, I spent a year traveling around Southeast Asia and India, taking photographs and figuring out my next step. I ended up moving to New York and started working in production — commercials, luxury fashion films, photoshoots, that kind of thing.”

“But as I spent more time producing short films with friends on the side, I realized I wanted to get into longer-form content,” she continued. “So, I applied to graduate school, thinking the best thing I could do was build a strong foundation and establish myself on the West Coast. I moved to LA to start at USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program in 2016. And after graduation, I decided to stay in LA and where I had the opportunity to start full-time at Fox Searchlight, a company I had interned with.”

With all of that in mind, one might get anxious for Adèle, wondering aloud how she keeps things in order and in check. “You really have to love the work,” she said of the pace in Hollywood. “Otherwise, this would be a tough job. It’s long hours at the office, and even more at festivals, where you go 10-14 days straight, no nights or weekends off.”

“But, it’s really exciting,” she added with a smile.

To keep things in balance, Adèle had to learn to shift into a lower gear, too: “I teach yoga on the weekend, and try to make time for local hikes and excursions.”

“Work is really important to me.” she added, “but I also love being active and healthy and finding a community around that.”

But Adèle loves being part of the Hollywood community as well. “I didn’t realize until I started working in film and went back to school just how many people it takes to make a movie,” she said.

“There are so many people in the post-production, marketing, distribution — it goes on and on,” she continued. There are so many moving pieces, and I’m happy to be a small piece of that.”

However, after reading all of the above, do you think Adèle

Me neither ...

Watch!

Update at Press Time...

SAM! IF YOU LET ME BE, I WILL TRY THEM. YOU WILL SEE.

– Dr. Seuss

While at Lawrence Academy, Lynne Hartwell ’08 jumped into the entertainment business and, ever since, has tried pretty much everything involved in putting entertainment on a screen: casting, design, research, writing — you name it. These days, the bespectacled Boston sports fan is a production manager on Netflix’s Green Eggs and Ham. However, even after achieving such an enviable position, Lynne remembers well her first foray into production.

“My very first producing experience was actually during my time at Lawrence,” she remembered. “I was a member, and eventually president, of the Elias Fund Club on campus. (Editor’s Note: The Elias Fund is a nonprofit organization funding community development and education for Zimbabwean youth.) In the spring of 2007, we held a music festival at Nara Park in Acton, called Elias Fest: Voice of the Voiceless. The headliner was State Radio, and I had a pretty big role in helping to get the festival together … I fell in love with planning and executing an event like this with the major payoff of the live show. We raised a lot of money and had a really great day.

“I’m still not sure how a bunch of teenagers pulled this off,” Lynne added, “but I think it’s safe to say it really helped build my confidence as a producer, even though I may not have realized what I was doing at the time.”

What Lynne was doing at the time was building a résumé that led her from LA to LA. Following stints with Dreamworks and Titmouse, she now has more than three years at Warner Bros. under her belt. The Emerson College graduate fondly remembers working for another Lawrence Academy alumna in her first real internship.

“My very first internship in entertainment was as a production intern for Styleboston. I was

Lynne reports that Green Eggs and Ham made its debut on Nov. 8. Produced by Ellen DeGeneres, with voice acting by Adam Devine, Diane Keaton, Ilana Glazer, and Michael Douglas, Entertainment Weekly says, “The show promises laughs for the entire family.”

hired by Heloise Borden ’05, who was working there at the time,” Lynne recalled. “I did a lot of answering phones and email correspondence, but I was also able to pitch my own segments, two of which aired. I worked on location for several shoots, including an interview with Stanley Cup champion Tim Thomas (my pitch!)”

Like many of the former Spartans we encountered in California, Lynne is a workaholic: driven by both a love for the craft and the belief that you make your own luck. In fact, that’s exactly what she told current students and alumni.

“My advice to you is to start making stuff now,” she said earnestly (but while still wearing rose-colored glasses) in a video from Burbank. “Start writing, start a podcast. Figure out what you like, what you’re passionate about. It will help prepare you for college and for whatever you’re starting out in the industry. And if you do that, who knows – maybe you’ll be lucky enough to have a favorite project in Hollywood.

“I can't really pick favorites, but Green Eggs and Ham has provided me with a lot of personal growth in my career,” said Lynne. “There’s something really special about the show and I hope people enjoy it as much as I enjoyed working on it!”

Figure out what you like, what you’re passionate about. It’ll prepare you for college and for starting out in the industry.”

Meg Lewis ’10

The impetus behind “LA in LA” really comes down to one alumna, who shared — at a Los Angeles LA Circle event in January 2018 — that she was working on the production of a film called A Quiet Place, which she thought had a chance to be a winner as it made its way to the festivals.

Later that year, as I watched the film’s meteoric rise from spec script to John Krasinski-backed blockbuster, I relished the opportunity to return to Hollywood to pick Meg Lewis ‘10’s brain.

I wanted to ask the young former Spartan, who is a creative executive at Paramount Pictures, “How did you get there from here?” So, in April 2019, Meg and I sat down with Lynne Hartwell ’08 (profiled on pg. 28.) inside a Los Angeles gastropub named Messhall Kitchen, a building that at one time housed Cecil B. DeMille’s Brown Derby restaurant.

Speaking of her employment at Paramount, and of A Quiet Place, Meg admitted, “We didn’t know how big it was going to be. It was always good. But it was really interesting when John Krasinski [Jim Halpert from The Office] came on. Before then it was ‘spec script’ with a great concept. (Two writers had an idea, wrote the script, and sold it). That’s when Paramount came in. And then John attached, and he took it and made it his own thing and made it into what the movie is now.”

At a fundamental level, Meg always seemed to know where her path would lead: “I was always interested in working in film and entertainment,” she said. “I guess in high school I just didn’t know what that looked like beyond ‘watching a lot of movies.’ I wanted to be an actor for a long time … Then I went to a summer conservatory program and hated every second of it. But I still wanted to work in entertainment, so I looked for other avenues.”

One of the first “avenues” was I-95, the highway that leads from Massachusetts to

Florida. “I ended up being a film major at the University of Miami,” she explained. “While I was there, I started interning, and I spent two summers in Hollywood. I learned, ‘Oh, there’s a whole gigantic business that sustains all of this.’ And that felt way more applicable to my interests and how I work.

"That’s the path I followed: the marriage of the business side and the creative team. I work out of an office, and I work for a studio. But you get to be creative, and you get to read scripts, and you get to give story notes and look at the footage,” Meg added. “So, you’re still getting to use those creative muscles.”

However, it wasn’t just creative muscles that got Meg from LA to LA. It was self-confidence, and finding strength in the community.

“The sense of community was so strong at Lawrence, and I could be involved in theatre and dance and still play sports and have other friends who had other interests,” said Meg, likening the close-knit but multifaceted community she found in Groton to a perfect warm-up for Los Angeles. “It can sometimes be stressful how small Hollywood feels, with what seems like everyone knowing everyone else’s business. But it’s also nice to experience the other side of that – the easy camaraderie that exists between assistants you came up with, and the close-knit sense of community it helps create.”

Who’da thunk it? LA being a lot like at LA …

I was always interested in working in film and entertainment. I guess in high school I just didn’t know what that looked like beyond ‘watching a lot of movies.’”

Watch!

Update at Press Time ...

A few months ago, my boss parted ways with ABC Studios. Since then, he has started a new production company, PKM Productions, where he is signed to an overall deal with Amazon Studios to develop and produce global content for the Prime Video platform. I am thrilled to say that I will be making this transition as well. And I am very excited for the new journey!

While at Lawrence Academy, Alex Vassilakos ’12 did her culminating Ninth Grade Program project on Disney Princesses, a fact that wasn’t lost on us as we drove the Ventura Highway for a Friday afternoon visit in Burbank, Calif. Now an executive assistant to the president of ABC Studios, Alex presents a commanding aura of royalty when she enters a room, deploying a shock of auburn hair (like Belle), a wide smile (Ariel), and an engaging countenance as she sits down for coffee.

“There are a few of us wandering around here,” said Alex, when asked if she realized how many LA grads are living and working in the greater LA area. “I see people all the time.”

Humbly, Alex credits simple timing for her own current standing in Hollywood: “It’s definitely playing your cards right and waiting stuff out,” she said with no music in her voice. “Everything’s about timing. If this job had not been open when I was looking for a job, I would have ended up somewhere else. People don't make positions for you. For example, I know that in finance, if a company really likes you, they’ll make a position for you. It’s just not the type of industry that we’re in.”

The industry she’s now in is, of course, entertainment. But a quick perusal of her senior yearbook shows a page of photos pulled together by Mom and Dad (“Dream big and reach for the stars! Love, Mom & Dad”): Alex the little ballerina. Alex the genie. Alex the Catwoman. Alex the Olympian. Turn the page, and there’s Alex in the dance show, and Alex in the play. “I knew that I wanted to be in television,” she explained.

“I knew that I wanted it to be at a network or studio, and I knew that there were places I didn’t want to work and there were places that I would love to work. ABC was at the top of my list.”

The rest, of course, is history. A good friend who was up for a job at ABC landed another position, so she recommended Alex, who, thanks to her agency work, was well prepared for her interview. “I told them, ‘I know every product you have in the pipeline. I’ve read everything. I know what’s happening,’” Alex said, adding, “It was kismet.”

Now, looking back, those fortuitous circumstances stretch a continent — from LA to LA — where Alex said she benefitted from some much-needed support. “I was just such a mess in high school,” she admitted with a laugh. “I think everyone is. I would not have gotten through that without my support system of teachers and friends and everybody around me.

“I think being at Lawrence taught me how to figure out who I was and stick to it,” she said — and that fits in perfectly with her sage advice to current Lawrence students: “Have an opinion, and have a voice. Let everybody know what you think. Not just about art and media, but about everything in your world.”

I knew that I wanted to be in television. I knew that I wanted it to be at a network or studio.”

Around the Journal’s space in the Schoolhouse, the inside joke about our interview with Connor Gowland ’13 is that we never caught up with him while we were actually in Los Angeles. The guy is simply too busy to nail down!

“This is my office,” joked Connor, who filmed an advice video aimed at current Lawrence Academy students while in his car en route to another experience in LA. “I call this ‘my office’ because this is where I spend most of my time.”

A self-described “freelance editor, model, and actor” — perhaps best known to recent alumni as a member of the band The Cranks with twin sister Haley ’13 — Connor, with Haley, was named, “Most Likely to be Famous” in the 2013 Lawrencian. “I’m constantly driving to auditions and working in different towns and offices as a freelance editor,” he said, explaining that his current task list is long and varied.

“My biggest piece of advice to anyone who wants to work in entertainment or move out to Los Angeles is, ‘Don’t be worried about trying something and failing,’” Connor told current Spartans. “I’ve had so many jobs where my biggest takeaway was, ‘It wasn’t for me.’ But the greatest thing about coming out here and having so many interests is that you can try something new.”

Even before he moved to LA the city, the ability to try a bunch of things was a big part of Connor’s experience at LA the school. Today, Connor looks back at Lawrence as a place where students were not cemented into particular social roles and cliques — a place where it was okay to be part of several scenes. “I just remember transferring to Lawrence Academy and that kind of shocking me — like, going to the One-Acts and thinking, ‘Wow, everyone from the boys’ and girls’ lacrosse teams and hockey teams is

auditioning,’” said Connor. “It was kind of unheard of in my first high school, and I talked about it in college. People were like, ‘You did theatre and you also ran track and played lacrosse?’”

Determination, and an effort to make the most of his opportunities, remain on the front burner for Connor, who looks to take advantage of every moment in and around Hollywood. It’s a trait he said he developed at LA.

“I remember telling my friends in college, ‘When I was at LA, I’d be at school from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.’ I'm used to being ‘on’ for 13 hours a day. I was always kind of known for never having a free second, whether I was in class doing homework, working out, playing an intramural sport, trying out or practicing for a play, or getting ready for a music performance,” he explained of his high school and collegiate experience. “My days were booked to the minute all the time.”

The greatest thing about coming out here and having so many interests is that you can try something new.”

“

Reunion Weekend 2018 Features ’80s Theme Night at the Groton Inn

Beginning with Friday afternoon's golf outing and through Saturday night's gatherings at The Point in nearby Littleton, Lawrence Academy Reunion 2018 gave 60 years of alumni ample opportunity to re-engage with the community and remi-

Following a well-attended golf gathering at Overlook in Hollis, N.H., the alumni storytelling and conviviality moved to the Alumni Quad, where Rob and Laura Moore hosted a cocktail reception for the 10th through 49th reunion classes in their

Down the elm tree-shaded hillside and overlooking the Route 40 fields, the Class of 2013 and other young alumni enjoyed a barbecue on Frank and Donna Mastrangelo's porch. Meanwhile, the 50th reunion Class of 1968 and Golden Alumni gathered on the Park House lawn, where Head of School Dan Scheibe and his wife Annie Montesano feted members of the most senior classes on campus, including the Class of 1947's Ronald Winslow.

Reunion 2019

LA Reunion Weekend, Friday and Saturday, June 7-8, 2019, boasted a fantastic cross-section of former Spartans from around the world.

On Friday, following golf at Overlook, the Class of 1969 and other “Golden Alumni” gathered on the lawn of Park House to celebrate their 50th anniversary with Head of School Dan Scheibe and his wife, Annie Montesano. Meanwhile, the years 1974–2009 gathered on the Alumni Quad to enjoy a gathering hosted by Associate Head of School Rob Moore and English teacher Laura Moore. Finally, young alumni joined Assistant Athletic Director Frank Mastrangelo and Spanish teacher Donna Mastrangelo at their home overlooking the Spaulding Stearns Fields.

A jam-packed Saturday boasted the Tom Warner ’75 Memorial Walk/Run on LA’s cross-country trail and a “State of the School” address by Dan Scheibe in the Media Conference Center (MCC), followed by an Alumni Panel (in the Recital Hall) featuring Kate Bagshaw ’99, Richard Roby ’04, and Dana Messina ’79.

The Alumni Lunch celebrated the career of Alumni Faculty Award winner Carolyn Hewitt (Eisenberg), as well as the work of the Class of 1969’s Will Harvey and Richard Pierce via the Amos Lawrence Award.

Following a remembrance service at the campus’ Memorial Garden, LA’s Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed its Class of 2019: the 1959 boys’ lacrosse team, the 2008 girls’ field hockey team, outdoorsman Nathaniel Holmes Bishop from the Class of 1852, Michelle McAteer ’99 (soccer, hockey, softball), and Rich Roby ’04 (basketball).

Class photos, dinner on the Quad, and music from the Jonathan Moody Band rounded out a gorgeous two days on the elm tree-shaded hillside.

Tom Warner ‘75 Memorial 5K Walk/Run

L-R: Rob Moore, Patrick Warner ’80, Greg Cope ’74, Marius Starcke ’99, Dan Scheibe, Sherm Bedford ’69, Patti Bedford, Debbie Baker Gray ’74, Tony Sampas ’74, Sandy Sweeney Gallo ’75, Vic Laushine ’74, Rich Johnson ’74, Kim Bohlin Healy, Annie Montesano, and Geoff Harlan

Carolyn Hewitt (Eisenberg) and Britt Ellison ‘89

Class of 1969 – 50th Reunion

L-R: Donna Ambrosino, Phil Picard-Fraser ‘09, Samantha Martin, and Howard Martin ‘69

Bill Coke ‘74 and John Romac ‘74

L-R: George Peabody (former faculty), Lee Grossbard, Randee Grossbard, Pamela Pierce, Dick Pierce, Chris Harding, Joe Sheppard (former faculty), Richmond Baker (former faculty), Edi Baker, Jeff Foster, Ken Stein, Norm Reed, Will Harvey, Steve Reed, Mittie Harvey, Tucker Vye, Sherm Bedford, David Hajjar, Patti Bedford, Will Baker, Donna Ambrosino, Howard Martin, John McIntosh, Fred Brooke, Shaw Sprague, Andy Rinehart, and Cindy Rinehart

L-R: Rob Moore, Kate Deasy Vizen ‘99, Michelle McAteer ‘99, Lindsey Croswell Klane '99, Jessica Knapp ‘99, Kate Bagshaw ‘99, and Laura Moore

L-R: Kate Bagshaw ‘99, Dana Messina ‘79, and Richard Roby ‘04

L-R: Rachel Dowd ‘14, Jay Williamson ‘14, Ellie Wildman ‘14, and Sheighla Wall ‘14

L-R: Jasre’ale Williams '14, Briana Freso ‘14, and Cornelius Griffith ‘14

L-R: Edi Baker, Bob Shiff ‘59, and Richmond Baker

Kendrea Roby ‘07

Frank Hirai ‘59

L-R: Tucker Vye‘69, Ken Stein‘69, and David Hajjar ‘69

2019 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES*

*Posthumous:

The 1959 boys’ varsity lacrosse team. Pictured here L-R: Walter Powers ’59, Jerry Scott ’59, Ted Packard ’59, Brad Latham ’59, Ken Penza ’59, Bob Shiff ’59, Jim Ruma ’59, Al Gordon ’59, Sherm Hunter ’59, Larry Appleton ‘59, Frank Hirai ’59, Brad Colesworthy ’59, and Bill Cooper ‘59

The 2008 girls’ varsity field hockey team. Pictured here L-R: Kerrin Sperry ‘10, Melissa Puleo ‘09, Theresa Russell ‘12, Fran McNierney ‘10, Brenna Morrissey ‘09, Jordan Lovejoy ‘10, Katie Joumas Mavrogiannis ‘09, Emily Field ‘11, Danielle Doherty ‘10, Hilary Cranston ‘09, Nicole Bartlett ‘09, and Brooke Simpson ‘11

Michelle McAteer ’99 with her former soccer coach, Donna Mastrangelo Richard Roby ’04 with his former basketball coach, Kevin Wiercinski

Nathaniel Holmes Bishop, Class of 1852

Boston

D.C.

D.C.

D.C. Denver

D.C.

Alumni Notes

1950

John Laggis ’50 was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Boston Shoe Travelers Association for his exceptional work in sales over many decades. As the award states, “John exemplifies the true meaning of an outstanding salesperson. His quiet, gentle, and caring personality and his strong work ethic are the traits that have contributed to his success.”

1956

Jay Beades ’56 checked in recently: “Dr. Mike Robinson, Paul ‘Lefty’ Wennik, and I have continued our friendship originated at Bigelow Hall through our efforts on behalf of our Class of ’56 Fund for LA Students. We’ve had several meetings about the ’56 Fund, and, consequently, I’m convinced that we, mentally, haven't changed since we were 17 or 18. Thankfully. The physical changes are another matter!”

1957

Jeff Foran ’57 writes: “My debut novel, Angels on a Tombstone, was recently awarded Best Historical Fiction 2019 by the Independent Press Award. Also, the novel received “Editor’s Choice” from the Middlebury College Magazine and the Pennsylvania Gazette. I earned degrees from both schools.”

First row, L-R: Brad Colesworthy, Bob Shiff, Sherman Hunter, Jim Ruma, Frank Hirai, Bill Cooper, Jerry Scott, and Walter Powers; Second row, L-R: Ken Penza, Ted Packard, Tom Edgar, Larry Appleton, Al Gordon, and Ted Maxant

1969

1958

Bob Soltz ’58 retired on Dec. 31, 2018, after 27 years as a Realtor. During those years, he became president of the North Shore Association of Realtors and its Realtor of the Year. In addition, he became an Massachusetts-approved real estate instructor and taught real estate pre-licensing at Salem State University.

1959

Ted Packard ’59 was honored recently with an Ocean Award by the Atlantic Society for Oceanographers in Las Palmas, Spain, where Ted serves as an emeritus professor of marine science at the

University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. He was awarded this “Galardón Océanos” for developing the respiratory electron transport method for measuring oxygen consumption rates in the ocean, for his research into the enzymology controlling ocean chemistry, and for teaching his science to Spanish graduate students. He continues his research in biochemical oceanography and co-directs Ph.D. theses in oceanography. In July, he gave a talk at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute on “New Concepts in Ocean Respiration.” He continues, each year, to present his research at international oceanographic meetings. In Las Palmas, Ted appears periodically as an ocean specialist on Spanish Television.

1964

Paul Husted

First row, L-R: Andy Rinehart, Ted Gibson; Middle row, L-R: Howard Martin, Chris Harding, Sherman Bedford, Will Harvey, Steve Reed, Dick Pierce, and Ken Stein; Back row, L-R: Lee Grossbard, Robert Loring, David Hajjar, Norman Reed, and Will Baker

First row, L-R: Debbie Baker Gray, Melissa Gray Romac, Nancy Onanian Garrett, Jean Betses, and Rich Johnson; Second row, L-R: Tony Sampas, Vic Laushine, Betsy Anderson Fowler, John Romac, Charlie Mancuso, Dave Betses, Ata Rivers, and Stevenson White

First row, L-R: Dana Messina, Marcia Talbot, Jon Jodka, Randy Chamberlain, Eric Bernstein, Jon Byrd, and Bill Morse; Second row, L-R: Rob Roy McGregor, Gary Surprenant, Aaron Schleifer, Bill Hoopes, Maura O’Brien Reardon, Lucy Zahner Montgomery, and Tim Foster

1960

Elliot Zide ’60 writes: “It’s nice that Dick and Mary Weden ’59 are living within a mile of us in Fort Pierce, Fla. When we were at our respective homes in Vermont, we were able to meet up with Buddy and Judy Berry ’64 in July. Walter (Buck) Davis ’60 is up the road in Vero Beach. Tom and Alice Murphy ’60 are nearby in Delray Beach. We look forward to meeting up with Susan and Don Beck ’60 when they spend time this winter in Vero. Geoff and Chris Nelson ’60 visited us in Vermont in June, and then we visited with with them at their spectacular Cabernet vineyard in September. All of us consider ourselves active, healthy, and productive. We are lucky.”

1965

The late Richard J. Gray ’65 was honored in April, when his home town of Salem, Mass., dedicated a town square in his memory. After graduating from Norwich University in 1965, Lt. Gray joined the Army, was sent to Vietnam, and was killed in action in June of 1971. Gray Square is located at the intersection of Loring Avenue and Raymond Road, the street on which Lt. Gray grew up.

1967

Nutritionist Charlie Smigelski ’67 takes a functional medicine approach that stresses repair of the cell systems behind ailments. His nutritional solutions often leave people feeling better than they expected. He has a new book, Exceptional Aging: Fierce Food & Smart Supplements: The nutrition formula for vitality after 50. It is available at Amazon.

1974

Rich Johnson ’74 writes: “Just enjoyed a busy year where the book my colleague Glenn Stout and I wrote entitled The Pats: An Illustrated History of The New England Patriots made both The Boston Globe and the New York Times bestseller lists for sports and fitness titles.”

Melissa Gray Romac ’74 writes: “R. John Romac ’74, after retiring from teaching and the U.S. Navy, is now volunteer coordinator at the Travis Mills Foundation, which supports a retreat for recalibrated veterans in Rome, Maine. He finds it very rewarding to give back and meet the inspiring veterans who put their lives on the line for our country, and he enjoys working with the hundreds of wonderful volunteers who make the retreat possible.”

L-R: Bill Spound, Harry Gordon, Paige Peabody Wagner, Fred Hays, Phil Monahan, Cindy Ryder Matthes, and Greg Osborn

1985

Carol (Barry) Townsend ’85 is still singing, as a vocalist for the Down & Dirty Band, a “rock-dance-pop-countryparty cover band,” according to their Facebook page. A registered nurse for over 25 years, Carol has always loved music, especially singing; she was awarded the Class of 1965 Prize for Music at her graduation from LA, and music has been part of her life ever since. Carol lives in Groton with her husband and son.

1996

Nick Taylor ’96 and his wife, Andrea, welcomed their first child, Andrew, on Sept. 28, 2018.

2002

Kika Vargas ’02 is enjoying great success as a designer of women’s clothing in her native Bogotá, Colombia. She writes, “I have my own brand now, and it’s going very well! We are based in Colombia, but I present in New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week. It’s been a good year; we just won best designer of Latin America — so very happy with that!” You can see Kika’s latest styles at www.kikavargas.com.

2005

Corey Smith ’05, a specialist in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History,

and his associate Sarah Kornbluth are engaged in a seasonal survey in New York City’s High Line urban park, designed to determine how that environment can serve as a bee habitat. Corey and Kornbluth are used to traveling the world to collect bee specimens for the museum’s vast collection, which is one of the largest in the world. More information can be found at https://www.thehighline.org/blog/2019/0 4/23/habitat-in-the-sky-studying-wildbees-on-the-high-line-with-the-americanmuseum-of-natural-history/.

Marlo Tersigni ’05 was married in November 2018 in Newport, R.I. A “great contingent of life-long LA pals” attended the wedding.

L-R: Steve Dion, Britt Ellison, Kirsten Eaton St. Louis, Lee Piccirillo-Briggs, Amy McCuin, Val Templeton, Betsy Bresnahan Dolan, and Rick Niejadlik

First row, L-R: Jamie Monahan Coppens, Danielle Culgin Goodwin, Shari Bryksa Da Silva, Kate Bagshaw, Sarah Riel Grimshaw, Carrie Blackey Tovar, Jessica Knapp, Stefan Rozembersky, Karabo Moikangoe, and Dianna Hahn; Second row, L-R: Michelle McAteer, Jo-Jo Delmonico Lachman, Kate Deasy Vizen, Shannon Menard Baxevanis, Brian Weeks, Marius Starcke, Chris Gothorpe, and Paul Beauchemin

First row, L-R: Mot Krairiksh, Lelia Mitchell Leary, Kiyo Hirose, Tiffany O’Connor Hoffman, Tracy Rowse Crowell, and Dean Blackey; Second row, L-R: Amy Hall Casey, Alix Sheppard, Dan Miller, Laura Carolan, Daniella Bonazzoli, and Becky Webster Boissaye

2007

Laysa de la Parra ’07 married Steve Johnson on Feb. 17, 2019, at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, S.C. The wedding party included Ryan de la Parra ’05, Jessica (Tanner) Shaw ’07 and Lauren Sastre ’07.

2008

Stephen Hart ’07 married Kelly Davin (now Hart) on Sept. 15, 2018, in Shelbourn, Vt.

Amanda Kressler ’08 is a successful furniture designer and maker in Somerville, Mass. “Coming from a family of antique dealers,” she noted in an interview with BostonVoyager.com, “I was destined for a life of creative jobs and entrepreneurship. I spent most weeks in the summer learning to restore furniture or selling at the Brimfield Antique

Market. I continued down the path of a maker [at Lawrence] and was constantly creating art of any kind, including sculpture, installations, and interactive pieces.” Amanda’s body of work ranges from intricate homewares to large-scale sculptures. Primarily working with metal, she is “fascinated by the ductility and malleability of the material.” You can see Amanda’s work at www.amandakressler.com.

L-R: Nicole Bartlett, Lily Beck, Shannon Muscatello, Nell Lapres, Phil Picard-Fraser, Hilary Cranston, Melissa Puleo, Brenna Morrissey, and Katie Joumas Mavrogiannis

Laysa de la Parra ’07 married Steve Johnson

Attending the wedding of Stephen Hart ’07 and his wife Kelly were LA alumni, including Kate Hart ‘00, Phoebe Hart ‘07, Ty Magnin ‘07, Tim Fallon ‘07, Sam Greiff ‘07, George Eng ‘07, Gaetano Morello ‘07, Conor Donoghue ‘07, Emily Arnow ’07, Adele Borden ‘08, James Deignan ‘08, Devin Drey ‘08, Hannah Pasman ‘08, and Natalie Dimaria ‘08.

2009

Kate Majike ’09 is getting married in 2020!

2010

Jordan Lovejoy ’10 has taken a new position as assistant director of annual giving at Boston College.

2011

Hayley Finn ’11 is teaching first grade and living with her classmate and best friend, Brooke Simpson, whom she met during freshman orientation at Windsor Mountain.

Brooke Simpson ’11 just started a new job at WeWork. Let her know if you need office space!

2012

Mike Titcomb ’12 is a business intelligence engineer at Pill Pack.

Hanna Williamson ’12 is a corporate recruiter at Beacon Hill Staffing Group.

2013

KJ Davis ’13 is an allocation analyst at BJ’s Wholesale headquarters.

Meghan Joumas ’13 is living in South Boston and works at Fidelity Investments in their corporate communications department.

Holly Moniz ’13 just graduated from Boston University’s Sargent College with her doctorate in physical therapy.

2014

Callie Parsons ’14 teaches students with developmental disabilities in Wilmington, Mass.

Katelyn Slaney ’14 is currently a software engineer at Raytheon.

2015

Tim Joumas ’15 is working at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and will attend graduate school at University of Michigan.

Lauren Kirk ’15 graduated from Union College in May. She plans to move back to Boston and work in the financial field.

Cailey Mastrangelo ’15 is following in Mom’s footsteps, having just started teaching Spanish at Brewster Academy.

Johnny Wei ’15, who graduated from UMass Amherst last spring, has enrolled in a Ph.D. program in computer science at the University of Southern California, where he will specialize in natural language processing — how computers can understand and speak language. Johnny gives special thanks to faculty members Mark Burkholz, Andrew Brescia, Scott Smith, Scott Johnson, and John Curran, whom he calls “the biggest part of my time at LA.”

First row, L-R: Ellie Wildman, Clare Noone, Jasre’ale Reed Williams, Briana Freso, and Sheighla Wall; Second row, L-R: Sarah Wallace, Madeleine Kelly, Shayan Zaheer, Ben Clark, and Cornelius Griffith

In Memoriam

Capt. Allen Gitlin ’39, USNR ret., passed away on July 9, 2016, at age 92. After enlisting in the Navy during World War II, he dedicated his working life to service in that military branch and, later, in the Naval Reserve, and retired after 35 years with many honors and awards. He is survived by four children, many grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren; his wife of 56 years, Wilma Frye Gitlin, predeceased him. Capt. Gitlin was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

Philip E. Tilton ’39 died on Dec. 18, 2012, at the Pope Nursing Home in Weymouth, Mass., at the age of 92. After graduating from Lawrence, where he lettered in hockey, he earned a B.A. from Brown University. During World War II, Philip served in the U.S. Army 327th Bombardment Squadron before starting a long career as a civil engineer. At the time of his passing, he left behind two sons, six grandchildren, and many other relatives; his wife, Dorothy Cullen Tilton, predeceased him.

Ronald Wilcox Sawyer ’41 passed away on March 30, 2014, at the Jewish Nursing Home in Longmeadow, Mass., at age 91. A graduate of Springfield College, Ronald proudly served his country in the Army Air Corps during World War II., and played the clarinet and saxophone in the Official USAAF Symphonic Band in Washington, D.C., during the service. For eight years, he was the director of employee assistance at Belchertown, Mass. State School; he was also in charge of advertising and sales promotions at MassMutual. Upon his death, he left behind two children and two grandchildren, as well as his companion, Ruth Broad of Longmeadow.

Robert M. Shepard ’44, of Hingham, Mass., passed away on June 18, 2016, at the age of 89. After serving his country in the U.S. Merchant Marine, he worked as an electrical engineer for Mitre Corporation, Boeing, and Grumman Aircraft. He was a member of the Hingham V.F.W., the Democratic Town Committee, and the Old Ship Church in Hingham. At the time of his death, Robert left behind his wife, Constance Mann; a daughter, Victoria Murray, and her husband

Nathaniel; one grandson, Maxwell Murray; and a brother, Lawrence Shepard.

Donald Huke ’46 passed away on Feb. 3, 2007, at age 78. He lived in Sun City West, Ariz. No further information is available.

Edward James Donahue ’47, 83, of Westford, Mass., died peacefully on May 25, 2013, surrounded by his family. Edward earned a B.A. and M.A. from Boston College; after completing Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict. He owned a Chevrolet dealership for 35 years and taught in the Ayer public schools for many years. At his passing, he was survived by his wife, Margaret, five children, and seven grandchildren; one son, Eric George Donahue, predeceased him.

N. Donald Eldridge ’48 of Westwood, Mass., died on Oct. 31, 2013. He left behind his wife, Sally M. Eldridge of Cataumet, as well as three children, three step-children, and four grandchildren. Donald spent his happiest days with family and friends, and he loved sailboat racing on Buzzards Bay.

Paul E. Heffernan ’51, of Whitinsville, Mass., died on Dec. 31, 2014. He was a salesman of computer technology for many years, but retired in the 1980s. After Lawrence, Paul studied at Emerson College and UMass Amherst. A sergeant in the Marines, he was a veteran of the Korean War; he was also a member of the Grand Masonic Lodge of Massachusetts for 50 years, and enjoyed sailing, photography, and watching and playing football. At his passing, he left behind three children, three grandchildren, and several cousins.

James M. Lawrence, Sr. ’55 died on July 2, 2002, at Exeter (N.H.) Healthcare, at the age of 64. He was the husband of the late Christine (Forrest) Lawrence, who died in 1997. Jim graduated from Groton High School and went on to receive a degree in horticulture from the University of Massachusetts in Stockbridge. After serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1967 to 1971, he worked for Insco, Inc. in Groton for several years, and later owned and operated

Lawrence Florist for 10 years. In addition to a son and two daughters, Mr. Lawrence left behind two brothers, Douglas Lawrence of Lowell and Thomas Lawrence of West Groton; a sister, Brenda Walantis of Falmouth; and five grandchildren.

Andy Kerr ’56 died on April 12, 2019, after a lengthy struggle with Parkinson’s disease. A member of the 1955 football team, which was recently inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame, he was a loyal supporter of LA, especially of the Class of 1956’s financial aid fund for needy LA students. Andy leaves his wife, Phyllis; son Adam and daughter-in-law Leah Kerr; his three grandchildren, Lainey Rose, Spencer, and Quincy; his twin sisters, June Paton and Joy Pendergast, both of Sarasota, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews.

Col. Lawrence W. Greene Jr. ’60 passed away on May 17, 2006, after a long struggle with Lou Gehrig's disease. A Vietnam veteran, he retired from the Air Force in 1992 at Nellis AFB, where his last assignment was serving as chief of staff of the Air Warfare Center. After retirement, Col. Greene was employed for nine years by the Boyd Gaming Corporation in Las Vegas. At the time of his passing, he was survived by his wife, Patty, their two daughters, and five grandchildren.

Charles W. Beanland ’74 of Acton, Mass., died on Feb. 1, 2013, at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington, at the age of 56. Born in Luton, England, Charlie moved with his family at 7 years old to settle in Acton. He established a heavy equipment and landscaping business, which transitioned in later years to specializing in smaller equipment and waste management services. In addition to his wife, Louise, and his mother, Dorothy, Charlie was survived by a brother, Peter Beanland ’79 of Nashua, N.H.; and a sister, Penelope Beanland Alberti ’77, her husband, George Alberti Jr., and their children, Ashley and George III, all of Severin, Md. He was also survived by a large extended family of in-laws and their families.

This section is dedicated to the memory of graduates who died more than two years ago. News of their passing has come to us only recently.

OBITUARIES

Howard H. Poorvu ’40 of Dedham, Mass., died at the age of 95 on Jan. 31, 2018. He left behind his wife of 68 years, Joan (Steinfeld), as well as a daughter and two sons, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Arthur J. Sullivan Jr. ’53 passed away peacefully at his home in Hampton, N.H., on Dec. 11, 2017; he was 84. Art spent a post-graduate year at Lawrence after graduating from Boston English High School in 1952, then enlisted in the Air Force, where he flew the B-47 and B-52, among other planes, during the Cold War. After leaving the Air Force in 1964, he signed on with TWA, where he captained the 727, 707, and 747 aircrafts, before retiring in 1988. Active in the Exeter, N.H., Lions Club, the Portsmouth, N.H., Elks, and the American Legion, Art was also a faithful parishioner of the First Congregational Church in Hampton. He leaves behind two daughters and two granddaughters; his wife, Laura Ann (Gillis) Sullivan, predeceased him in 2008.

Carl Harris ’59 of Hingham, Mass., died on April 28, 2017, at the age of 76. A 1963 graduate of Marietta College, Carl spent more than 40 years in educational publishing, where he worked for Prentice Hall, W.A. Benjamin, Allyn & Bacon, Butterworth, Addison Wesley, Kluwer Academic Publishers, and Springer in a variety of positions, from trade salesman to editorial director. He was particularly proud of his contribution to the field of electrical engineering through innovative publishing of advances in research and technology while at Kluwer Academic Publishers. In addition to his wife, Susan Montgomery Harris, he left behind three children, three grandchildren, and four sisters.

John Lorden, Jr. ’59 passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on May 6, 2019, as a result of complications related to inclusion body myositis, a degenerative muscle disease he bravely battled for 20 years. Jack, who was 78 years old, grew up in Pepperell; after graduating from LA, he earned a degree in economics from St. Anselm College. Following his service in the U.S. Army in Germany, he returned to Pepperell to work with his father at Lorden Trucking Company. Jack and his wife Jean, whom he married in 1963, began a family while he attended Boston College School of Law, where he earned his degree in 1969. He then opened his own law firm in Ayer and later moved the practice to Harvard. Jack was a president of the Ayer Rotary, a part-time land developer, a member of the Saint Joseph Parish Council and the Massachusetts Bar Association,

and proudly has the distinction of being the last ice man in Pepperell. In addition to his wife, he leaves behind three children, eight grandchildren, and three sisters, in addition to many in-laws.

Dick MacLeod ’61 died on Oct. 2, 2018, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He was 77 years old and left behind his wife of 37 years, Marilyn; two children and two step-daughters; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a brother, Douglas. A daughter, Shelley, predeceased him. Dick retired 2004 from his position as a service engineer manager at Ecolab and, a few years later, moved from Latham, N.Y., to Cape Coral, Fla., where he loved to spend time on the water.

M. Anthony Reynolds ’62 died on Nov. 6, 2018, in Rochester N.Y. His daughter, Laura Reynolds-Gorsuch ’89, wrote, “He cherished his time at LA, and was so proud that I could attend his alma mater. We often spoke fondly of our time there, even living in the same dorm (Bigelow Hall).”

Ken Almgren ’64 died on June 17, 2018, after a 16-month battle with cancer. Originally from New Castle, N.H., he graduated from Wesleyan University and attended the University of Rochester for graduate school before joining the U.S. Navy; he was a corpsman at Bethesda Naval Hospital before becoming the communications officer at Subic Bay and then on the USS Waddell during the Vietnam War. After returning home, Ken completed his master’s degree in economics at the Simon School in Rochester; he spent decades as the CFO of Arinc (Aeronautical Radio, Inc.) and then the National Association of Broadcasters before retiring. Ken was known for his accepting nature, warm and sharp sense of humor, and impeccable style. He was devoted to his family traditions, Swedish culture (his annual Christmas torte), entertaining, gardening, his show dogs, watching Sunday golf, and lobster dinners. He left behind his wife of over 35 years, Nancy Almgren; son Kristian, daughterin-law Amelia, and newborn grandson, Oscar Beckett Almgren; and his brother George and his wife Nancy.

Richard McNamara ’64, 72, of St. Simons Island, Georgia, passed away on Oct. 18, 2018, at the Southeast Ga., Health System.

Richard P. “Rick” White ’69 of Centerville, Mass., passed away on Jan. 23, 2018, after a difficult battle with cancer. Rick attended Phillips Andover Academy for a year after graduating from LA, then earned a B.A. magna

cum laude from Harvard University; he continued his education at the London School of Economics and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, where he earned an MBA. Rick worked in the financial arena for many years: He served as CFO for the Portledge School on Long Island, the Derryfield School in Manchester, N.H., and the Weiss School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. An avid sailor, Rick lettered on the Harvard sailing team, racing his own “Lazer” and winning many trophies; he also loved fishing Nantucket Sound in his 19-foot whaler. Rick accomplished the Cape Cod Trifecta, catching striped bass, false albacore, and bluefish. He was a member of the Wianno Yacht Club, serving as treasurer for 11 years and as commodore in 1996 and 1997. He also loved Outward Bound, and taught at Hurricane Island Maine for three years. Before retiring, he ran Inspire, a counseling service that helped students find appropriate schools and universities. Rick enjoyed helping students plan a solid educational future. In addition to his wife of 37 years, Janice Yates White, Rick is survived by his siblings, Janet W. Taylor and Nancy White; an aunt, Barbara Kirkpatrick; step-children Kenneth and Anne Steere; nephews Adam and Mark Taylor; and niece Kimberly Glass and her children Zachary and Ava. Everyone who knew him will remember him as gracious and polite, always with a smile along with a helping hand.

Eric Rodenhizer ’78 died suddenly at his home in Bethlehem, N.H., on April 18, 2019, at the age of 58. In addition to his parents, Eric is survived by his brothers, David W. Rodenhizer and his wife Deborah of Seattle, Wash., and John H. Rodenhizer and his wife Pamela of Center Harbor, N.H.; his niece, Heidi Rodenhizer of Flagstaff, Ariz.; and his nephew, Brett Rodenhizer of Seattle, Wash. He is also survived by his stepmother, Judith Rodenhizer of Groton, as well as four step-brothers and two stepsisters. After graduating from LA, Eric earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Bucknell University. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hiking, skiing, and riding his motorcycle.

Former faculty member Jim Deveney died on Jan. 10, 2019, following a courageous battle with cancer. He had been a resident of Manchester-By-the-Sea, Mass., for almost 50 years. A popular teacher and coach at LA from 1968 to 1971, he taught math and coached the varsity hockey team, and also served as a dorm master in Bigelow Hall. Besides Sharon, his beloved wife of 28 years, Jim leaves a sister, Joan Lovejoy of Wenham, Mass.

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